Compression Socks

I never knew, but lots of people wear compression socks, nurses especially. All my life I’ve gone barefoot whenever and wherever I could. The only time I’d wear shoes in summer would be to places that wouldn’t permit my bare toes. Not so anymore – at least not if I want to have ankles! Be it cancer (they do call them “cankles”) or medication, I have some fat feet. So, the solution to this problem of fat feet and cankles (swollen calves and ankles) is to wear compression socks.

How do compression socks work anyhow? Well, for a comprehensive answer (and a pretty interesting one) check out this site: Berkeley wellness compression socks In my case, they’re needed for leg swelling – I’m not really worried about those varicose veins like all the young nurses I know – so, here’s what they’re doing for me: “By squeezing the leg tissues and walls of the veins, compression stockings can help blood in the veins return to the heart. They can also improve the flow of the fluid that bathes the cells (referred to as lymph) in the legs. Improving the flow of lymph can help reduce tissue swelling.” (Berkeley wellness)

Back to my bare feet! Not many things cause me to feel depressed, but the idea of not going barefoot was leaning that way. I decided there must be some way to deal with this blow, and then my daughter-in-law introduced me to Sockwell compression socks, a little more fun than typical compression socks. From there a quick check on amazon.com led to the discovery that while my toes may not be free, they can be very happy!

Since we “rebuilt and refilled” our home after the 2015 fire, I’ve not wanted any extra anything. No more clothes in the closet that don’t get used, etc. – that includes socks. I only owned four pair of socks at the time I was introduced to my fancy compression socks. I tiptoed slowly into compression sock ownership, purchasing just one pair to start. Oh yeah! Comfy, snug, keeping my feet and ankles under control, and oh so stylish! That was about a year ago. I actually wore holes in that first pair recently. (Maybe that’s because I don’t wear shoes with my camp socks!) Presently I have four older pairs for camp wear, and four pair for wherever wear. Shop around for the best prices as they are quite pricey.

Now that’s not to say my toes aren’t ever so grateful when I undress at night or when they’re paddling in the ocean, free as a fishy. But really, you know, there’s a way to make any situation a little bit better, and if fancy compression socks can do that, well…!